


New Year in love

by Arwen88



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Costume Parties & Masquerades, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 16:43:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13438968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arwen88/pseuds/Arwen88
Summary: Newt receives a letter from newly reinstated Director Graves inviting him to their New Year's party as a thank you for what he had done last time in New York. Having the chance to hide behind a mask Newt decides to give it a try and in the process he finds more than he dared hope.





	New Year in love

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [爱在新年](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17251142) by [Colcolcol](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Colcolcol/pseuds/Colcolcol)



> First time writing in this fandom, but I just love Newt and Percival.  
> Written for the Cow-T (second week, first prompt "voice") and the Maritombola (prompt 53, "niente di vero tranne gli occhi") of LDF.  
> Tatsueigo proofread this because she's good and english is not my first language.

Newt had been invited to MACUSA's New Year party and it was terribly strange to him, because after the last time he had been in New York they had insisted for him to take the first ship out of there. It wasn't even that he was an evil wizard or something like that, he was just a magizoologist that only wanted to live and let live - and maybe save a lot of creatures in the process. He had even helped them to get rid of Grindelwald so at that time he had felt that it was a bit too hard on their part to just throw him out. It was alright, though, he had spent a lot of time somewhere else, traveling the world and using the income from the selling of his book to go to new places, research more creatures, save them from poachers and make sure they could go back to their natural habitat.  
When the letter with MACUSA's seal reached him he was in China. For a moment he wondered if he had done something to anger them even from a distance, but the letter was only a brief message from Percival Graves, reinstated as Director after they found him. It was Tina the one who had told him about the man's rescue and how he had spent weeks in a healer's ward grumpy and unapproachable, something that Newt found pretty understandable to be honest. Rather sooner than later, the man had asked how they found him, how they had finally understood it had not been him for quite a long time, and at finding out that the responsible for Grindelwald's fall had been an english wizard that he had never met and that had been asked to leave the country as soon as possible... well, Tina said that even the windows shook by his rage's power.  
The man had wrote him a message saying he was grateful to him for what he had done during his visit in New York and that he could understand if Newt didn't want to go back in a nation that hadn't been really fair to him after his accomplishments but, if he wanted to, the ban to enter the border had been lifted. Percival wrote he would have liked for him to attend the annual ball to at least have a chance to meet the man he owed his life and make amends for the way he had been treated the last time.  
Newt thought for a while about what to answer the man as he prepared to leave China. He was happy the director had recovered and was giving him a chance to go back and visit his friends but a party usually meant a lot of people and a lot of people either looking at him strangely or ignoring him and he had never been sure what was worse. He took the letter out of his pocket, for the umpteenth time, to read it again once he had in the end decided to thank the director but also to say he wouldn't go to the ball when suddenly he noticed the little text on the invite announcing it was going to be a masquerade.  
“Well, that changes everything.” He whispered.

Being masquerade meant to Newt having the chance to blend in for once in his life and he was determined to have fun. The only upside down, he thought, was that being everyone’s aspect concealed by magic, he couldn't pinpoint his friends in the middle of the crew. For once though people approached him to ask if he was spoken for a dance or if he wanted something to drink. He had just refused the third drink, when he heard a deep voice vaguely familiar behind his back ask if he had a partner for the next dance. It could have been someone Newt had met on his previous visit, but with the magic working around everyone of them, there was no way of telling who the man was. Newt turned to answer, kind of curious of who could be the owner of that familiar voice, but when their eyes met from behind their mask they both stopped breathing as the whole world seemed to explode in a myriad of colors none of them had ever seen before. They stood there, lost in each other eyes at a complete loss of words, until Newt noticed the other man slip one hand on his waist and take the other in his. Newt sighed softly at being in his soulmate arms and let the man slowly start to lead him on the dance floor.  
“You have no idea how long I’ve been looking for you.” The man said with his deep voice without taking his eyes off him.  
“Me too…” Newt admitted in a whisper. “I would have never thought of finding you here.”  
“Why is that?” The man asked curious and even with a mask to totally conceal his face Newt was sure he was smiling.  
“I’ve never been to any of those parties. Tonight I’ve been invited… As an exception, I guess. And I live far from here. No. What I mean- I’m not from here, but lately I haven't been at home either, I’ve been working a lot traveling around and so I guess I thought I would have met you in England but thinking about it now, it doesn't make any sense since the longest I’ve been back this year is a whole three weeks.” He explained, talking without even thinking till he suddenly noticed how long he had and how bored his soulmate could have become of him.  
The man instead of joking or laughing just caressed his hand with his thumb, continuing to lead him in their slow dance unperturbed.  
“Then I guess this is Luck balancing this terrible year with the best thing that could ever happen to me.”  
Newt felt his cheeks flush at his words and dipped his head, embarrassed but at the same time terribly charmed by the man’s behavior.  
“I hope it hasn't been that horrible.”  
“I don't want to talk about it, not now. Later, maybe? I will tell you everything you might want to know about me, but tonight I want to know everything about you and let you know everything about me, accidents aside. I want to only think of beautiful things.” The man pulled him closer and Newt sighed at the feeling of his muscular chest under the elegant red and golden robe the wizard was wearing.  
"I'm a-" He tried to start, but apparently the magic around them prevented them to tell what their job was. "Uhm... I love animals? Magical creatures. But also normal animals..."  
His soulmate looked surprised for a moment and a flash of comprehension downed in his gaze and for a second Newt was certain he had understood who he was. There weren't probably many wizards around loving magical creatures, despite the good job of sensibilization his book was doing.  
"I guess... you know now who I am?" He tried, hoping it wouldn't ruin what there was between them, even if thinking about it he knew that at some point his soulmate would have found out his name for one thing if they were to date each other.  
"I think I do." The man smiled behind his masks. "And I guess I should tell you who I am, but truth is that I'd really prefer you getting to know me without my name in between. Or this dreadful year."  
"I won't ask then." Newt shook his head, smiling as the man made him spin on the dance floor. He laughed softly while going back between his arms. "I hope this means that you're not- how can I say. Underwhelmed by my identity?"  
"Not at all." The answer seemed to fall easily from his lips and for a moment Newt had to remind himself that if they had ever met previously, he would have seen the colors months ago, so it seemed that his soulmate was aware of him but at the same time they had never met, not even talked. He wasn't yet sure he wouldn't have bailed after getting to know him better.  
"Do you want to ask about me?" The stranger offered.  
"Sure. Are you from around here?" He asked curious, hoping the magic will let them talk about themselves if they weren't to give informations able to identify them.  
"Yes. Born and raised in New York. Have you seen the city last time you've been there?"  
"Not really. A friend of mine took me to Central Park but it was really late. I tried taking a stroll previously but ended up in troubles." He had to admit.  
"I could give you a tour. I'd be more than happy to show you around if you want. Maybe take you out for dinner?" He asked slowly coming to a halt as the music ended, waiting for the next song to start with no intention to leave him to dance with someone else.  
Not that Newt had any intention to go far from him, not until he was sure they could find each other back again. He flushed behind the mask, happy his soulmate wasn't taking for granted his desire to be together and was really asking him out.  
"I'd love to." He nodded as the firsts notes of a song filled the room.  
"I can't wait. I usually work a lot but I have many vacations days left and I can't really see a better reason to use them as spending time with my soulmate." The man murmured and with a soft sigh Newt tried to get closer to him.  
The stranger moved his hand from his side to the small of his back, rocking them closer and Newt sighed again, happy and strangely comfortable even if that close to someone he barely knew.  
"I can't wait either." He murmured.  
"Will you show me your creatures?"  
"Yes." Newt smiled at hearing him interested in his animals. "Do you have something you love?"  
He seemed to hesitate and after a couple seconds slowly shook his head. "I thought I did love my job. My whole life I only wanted to do this and I thought it could make me happy, I could rejoice into taking care of others, but lately I found out that outside of it I didn't nurture any real friendships or hobbies and that - I'm afraid leaves me kind of empty."  
"I'm sorry. I know how it is to have no real friends. I have my creatures but humans are so complicated. Before coming here and meeting-" He felt the magic block him once again and sighed. "A couple people... aside for them I'm afraid I don't have anyone so close to me."  
"That could always change." The man considered, watching him in the eyes.  
"Even for you." Newt answered holding his gaze. "I'd love to keep in contact."  
"I'd love it too... I'm serious when I say that I want to get to know everything about you. I wasn't really sure I would have ever find you, but I promised myself long ago that if we were to meet I'll do whatever I could to make things work."  
"I'll do my part, I'm as keen on the idea as you are." He admitted, impatient of having the chance to see his soulmate's face and know his name, already irremediably charmed by him.

They danced for hours, talking about themselves, saying everything that came to mind except for what the magic prevented to. Newt was a bit afraid at the speed he was falling for the man, but he was after all his soulmate, plus the man seemed as interested into pursuing a real relationship between them as he was so Newt supposed it was alright.  
The music stopped when they reached the last two minutes of the year and everybody looked towards the stage where the president herself gave a brief speech and prepared for the countdown. Newt flushed as one arm wrapped around his back and his soulmate held him close as they both listened to her.  
"Would you like to watch the no maj fireworks outside after the countdown?" The man asked with a low voice, so close to Newt's ear that he felt a shiver run down his body even as he nodded in answer, thinking it would have been great to see them now that they could actually see the colors.  
They waited impatiently for the countdown to come to an end and Newt mentally wondered if they would have to take off their masks. He didn't want to attract too many stares and it was sure to make him go back at being as awkward as ever, without mentioning the fact that his soulmate seemed reluctant to show his face as he was. Only problem was that he would have loved very much to kiss him, at least on a cheek, but with the masks it was impossible. He was brought back to reality by the people cheering the lasts five seconds of the year and the grip of the arm around him got tighter as the man looked at him.  
"Happy new year."  
"Happy new year..." Newt smiled and let the man lead him outside on the balcony to watch the fireworks raise in the sky and explode in a show of lights that Newt could have never imagined before. "This is beautiful..." He murmured, voice almost drowned out by the cheerings inside.  
His soulmate seemed to hear him though because he turned and after a moment put his hand over Newt's. "It is and I have to thank you for coming here or so I would have never met you or been able to see all this."  
"You'll have to thank the director for that, he invited me." Newt joked lightly and the man in front of him seemed to hesitate for a moment before slowly taking off his masks.  
Newt opened his eyes wide at seeing for the first time his soulmate face and hurried to do the same and get rid of the mask.  
Percival smiled at being able to see Newt's face even if he had already realized who he was under the mask.  
"Nice to see you, I'm Percival." He finally presented himself.  
Newt couldn't stop a smile from forming on his lips as the director raised the hand he was still holding to kiss his knuckles.  
"Nice to meet you, I'm Newt."  
Percival smiled at him and kept him close, slowly caressing his hand with his thumb as they both went back to watching the fireworks over the city, lost in sweet hopes for their future together.


End file.
